


Aestival Tale

by blind_bombshell



Series: Auntie Crickette's Bedtime Stories [2]
Category: Basic Instinct (Movies), Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom, Madancy Multiverse - Fandom, Mænd & høns | Men & Chicken (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fairy Tale Elements, Fauns & Satyrs, Gen, Inspired by Fanart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 23:29:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8598028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blind_bombshell/pseuds/blind_bombshell
Summary: Basic Chickens fanfic based on the beautiful art of @CamilleCailloux - this is the first meeting of the crybaby bull and the inquisitive satyr. It's a gen kid fic, though that may change as the characters age. Links to the fanarts that are inspiring this work will always be providedChapter One of the Crybaby Bull and Inquisitive Satyr series.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CamilleFlyingRotten](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=CamilleFlyingRotten).



Once upon a time, in a land not too far from here in a forest that was as lush and green as anything that’s ever been seen, lived curious creatures from Times Before who never saw a human and wouldn't need or want to, either. 

In this forest, within a herd, lived a satyr who looked like a cherubic boy from waist above but more like a goat below. He had wild, loose dark brown curls atop his head that his mother faithfully tamed in the morning but would always have twigs and leaves and dirt in by night. Like all curious creatures he was inquisitive and always getting into trouble – the other satyrs would click their tongues ruefully but with sparks in their eyes at this mischievous darling who, no matter what trouble he got into, he could talk himself out of. When it was summer, he would be covered in mud, excitedly chattering about some squirrel or pond he’d found and when it was winter, he would be pink nosed and cheeked, hands outside of the coverings his mother had made because he just needed to TOUCH whatever it was he was pursuing. 

There were times, of course, he would stick around the herd and leap and play with the other child satyrs but it never kept his interest for very long and soon he would be off chasing toads again. The only times he sat still were when he was practicing his flute or listening to a particularly fantastic story, and even then his little haunches would twitch and his tail would flick as his anticipation grew for whatever would happen next. This was a clear indicator of his interest, and his mother kept a close eye for wringing hands and flickering tail that would soon mean her son would be off in the woods, chasing whatever he was looking for and leaving behind his chores.

This little satyr’s name was Adam, as he was the first of what his mother knew would be many.

*

Not too far from the forest where Adam and his family and their friends resided, there was a prairie. In this prairie, there was a calf named Elias. As a matter of course there were many calves and many minotaurs, but we will focus on this one because he is special and he doesn't yet know.

Elias was as inquisitive as any of the other creatures, but his father, a very large minotaur, discouraged him at every turn. Where Adam’s mother and father were lenient and doting, often allowing their child freedom to run and explore, Elias’ father was dismissive and left him alone. His brother, Gabriel, who at least tried to understand Elias, was also old enough to Season and therefore wasn’t around the prairie as much as Elias would have liked. He was a lonesome calf, clumsy and too big for his hooves, and often was the source of mockery for the other minotaurs. So he said he was fine being alone, that he had friends over the hill – but he wasn't and he didn't. 

Most days you could find him watching the other creatures from afar, mimicking their behavior and wondering how he could possibly be doing it wrong. How he could be so alone and others be eagerly looked after and towards.

It was on a summery day, late in the spring season, that he told the other calves he was off to play with his friends over the hill that they followed him and discovered his lie. They threw rocks at him and mocked his face, saying no one could be friends with him let alone his mate – he was too ugly to live, so ugly it killed his mother, of course he had to lie about having friends.

He ran into the forest, heedless of his path, tears obscuring his vision.  _ What did they know, _ he thought, _ except everything? _ Every fear he had, they had shouted at him, and Elias felt so very alone and, as he finally looked around, so very lost.

At this realization and the sure knowledge that he would die alone in the forest far away from his father and Gabriel, Elias plopped down on a boulder and began to wail.

*

Adam’s ear twitched.

He looked up from drawing in the dirt and towards the far side of the forest. His nose wrinkled as he tried to smell if there was danger like mother taught him. His father, noticing the change in demeanor, smiled softly, knowing their lesson was now done for the day. “What is it, Adam?”

“There’s a sound, dad, it sounds… awful. Awful sad. Don’t you hear it?”

His father ruffled his son’s curls, curls that were so much like his mother’s and colors that were so much like his own. “I don’t, love, but why don’t you go find out. You know what to do if there’s trouble?”

“Hide and stomp.” 

“There’s a good lad, off ya go.” Adam grinned briefly at his father, then broke into a full run towards the copse at the edge of their small clearing. 

Adam’s father’s ear twitched and he cleared their drawings before standing. He smiled, watching his son disappear into the brush. Perhaps he and his mate would have enough time for a tumble before their Adam reported back on his adventures.

*

Adam hadn't run very far before he found the source of the baleful noise. Atop a boulder sat a minotaur, not much older than he but definitely much larger. He had wide shoulders, a large nose, a harelip, and tightly-curled sandy blond hair that laid close to his head. He was ridiculous and pitiful and Adam wanted to touch him. But he was up Very high and Adam was only a little satyr. He sat behind a tree for a while, twisting his fingers together, before he couldn't stand the sound any longer. He slid down the hill from where he had been hiding and his hooves clicked against the boulder. 

“Hello, baby bull!” he shouted, so he could be heard over the other’s sniffles and wails, “Why are you crying?”

Almost immediately, the wailing stopped, but the hiccups started and the sniffles increased. “Because I am going to die alone on this rock,” came the petulant reply. “Why are you shouting, don’t you know it’s rude to be so loud?”

Adam huffed, blowing his curls out of his face. Before he could respond, “Why are you hiding, don’t you know it’s impolite to speak to someone and not reveal yourself?” the calf asked, voice wavering, “Do you not want to be seen with me?” Oh, Adam realized, the bull couldn't see him down here.

“Of course not. Look down, silly bull, this boulder is very big and I am not so much. Not yet anyway.”

“You want to be as big as a boulder?” the calf asked, curiously peeking over the edge of the boulder to see the satyr in the grass below. Adam smiled, the bull looked so cute, his hair and eyes and only part of his nose showing over the edge of the rock, halo’d in the midday light. It was still evident he had been crying but he wasn't as pitiful as he had looked from behind the tree.

“Why not? Now come down here or help me up. My neck is getting tired.”

Adam squeaked loudly as the calf landed, hard, next to him in the long grass, then inwardly rolled his eyes as the bull sat up and curled in on himself.

"Baby bull, why are you crying? Did you hurt yourself when you fell off the rock?"

"No. Well. Yes. But. They… they called me ugly," and at that, the tears began again and the little bull shook with the force of his sobs. Adam got up, too, sitting on his haunches as he fumbled with his fingers, wanting to touch but not knowing if he should. 

"Well, I think you're pretty!" he blurted, louder than he'd meant to be. 

The crying stopped and the calf slowly looked over his shoulder at Adam, almost bashfully. "You-you do?"

"Uh-huh."

Just as suddenly as he'd tumbled off the rock, Adam found himself with his arms full of sniffling, hiccuping baby bull. He held the other boy as tightly as he could, "Is that better?" The boy nodded and burrowed into his shoulder and Adam smiled softly. "My name is Adam," he said quietly, "because I'm the first. What's your name?"

The other boy was quiet for some time and Adam was thinking that perhaps he had fallen asleep, exhausted by his emotions, when he heard, "I'm Elias. I'm not the first. But I work hard." Adam pulled the other boy's face from his neck, despite his protesting whine, so they could meet eye-to-eye.

"It's good to meet you, Elias. Do you want to nap with me?" He nodded and so Adam rolled them on their sides, cushioned by the long, sweet-smelling grass and the sunlight flickering through the trees warming their legs, the buzzing of many different bugs distant and comforting. Adam kissed the top of Elias' head, "Silly baby bull."

Elias was already asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's what inspired this chapter https://twitter.com/CamilleCailloux/status/797522429371367424
> 
> This work is non-beta'd so any and all mistakes are mine.


End file.
